Finance Manager

📍 United Kingdom (Hybrid, with international travel)
💰 £70,000 – £90,000 + 10–20% bonus

The Opportunity

An international, private manufacturing group is seeking a Finance Manager to drive financial and operational performance across its global production network.

The business operates across multiple regions including Europe, the US, and Asia, and is on a strong growth trajectory through both organic expansion and acquisitions. As part of this journey, the organisation is investing significantly in its manufacturing footprint and capabilities.

This is a newly created role offering the opportunity to shape performance frameworks, influence strategic decisions, and drive tangible operational improvements across a complex, multi-site environment.

The Role

You will act as the key finance partner to global manufacturing leadership, owning performance visibility, cost control, and continuous improvement across multiple international sites.

This is a hands-on, high-impact role, requiring both detailed financial expertise and the ability to influence at a senior level.

Key Responsibilities

🔹 Manufacturing Costing & Control

• Review, challenge, and standardise costing methodologies across sites
• Oversee inventory, WIP, and manufacturing accounting processes
• Improve cost transparency and financial discipline
• Drive working capital and inventory efficiency

🔹 Performance Management & Reporting

• Develop global KPIs, dashboards, and performance frameworks
• Provide insight into cost, margin, and operational efficiency
• Support forecasting, production planning, and capacity analysis
• Enable data-driven decision-making across operations

🔹 Business Partnering

• Partner with Manufacturing, Procurement, and Commercial teams
• Identify inefficiencies and performance gaps
• Translate operational data into financial insights and actions
• Track delivery of improvement initiatives

🔹 Investment & Projects

• Support capital investment decisions and business cases
• Monitor project performance, risks, and ROI
• Contribute to manufacturing footprint optimisation initiatives

🔹 Systems & Process Improvement

• Strengthen financial controls and reporting consistency
• Improve data integrity across systems and processes
• Drive standardisation and automation across finance workflows

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a proactive, commercially minded finance professional who thrives in a global, fast-paced environment.

Essential:

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA)
• Strong experience in manufacturing finance, including costing, variances, and inventory
• Experience working in multi-site and/or international environments
• Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel and reporting capability (e.g. Power BI)
• ERP system experience (e.g. SAP, Dynamics 365, or similar)
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders across functions and geographies

Preferred:

• Experience building or improving manufacturing performance frameworks
• Comfortable operating in a hands-on role, engaging with detailed data
• Track record of driving process improvements and implementing best practice

Culture & Working Style

• High ownership environment 
• Lean and collaborative structure with direct access to senior leadership
• Balance of strategic influence and hands-on delivery
• International exposure with regular interaction across global teams
• Travel to manufacturing sites is an integral part of the role